The Morning News
Local News for Northwest Arkansas
Mayoral Candidates Want To Grow Green
By Skip Descant
THE MORNING NEWS
FAYETTEVILLE -- If anyone's wondering if Fayetteville's next mayor has a generous streak of green environmentalism running through him or her. The answer is a pretty solid yes.
At least except for Adam Fire Cat.
"I am not green," he said flatly Wednesday night at a mayoral forum sponsored by the Washington County League of Women Voters at the Fayetteville Public Library.
"It's a good thing to aspire for," mayoral candidate Fire Cat added, and who derided what he labeled as the "smugness" of the environmental movement.
But other candidates at the forum repeated their desire to explore hillside preservation, increase recycling opportunities, clean-tech jobs and alternative transportation.
"Any logical person would move in that direction," candidate Walt Eilers said, of the various mass-transit ideas being tossed around, such as a better bus system and light-rail.
Candidate Steve Clark has repeatedly stressed the need for a 200-acre to 300-acre technology park near Drake Field.
"We have to prepare and then go looking for what we want," Clark said.
Fayetteville Mayor Dan Coody and Eilers believe cities can provide the infrastructure incentive, but large technology parks are the job of the private sector.
"Private industry will step up to this market," Coody said.
"It is not the city's job to build the business parks," Eilers stressed.
Lioneld Jordan, an alderman from Ward 4, and a mayoral candidate, would use the city's Web site to promote business and industry a well as grow training for the clean-tech jobs.
When asked about the city's biggest accomplishment across the last three years, Coody tipped his hat to the "professionalism of the city staff," along with highlighting Fayetteville's near-complete north-south trail system.
But his point was to recognize Fayetteville's role in the "new economy," by which he means the green economy.
"Fayetteville is in a unique position and the window of opportunity is not going to stay open for long," Coody said.
Jordan credited Fayetteville's commitment to infrastructure by building roads and fire stations as a big accomplishment for the city.
"This whole thing is about people and taking care of their lives and protecting their safety," Jordan told the roughly 250 people packed into the library meeting room.
Eilers said the city's sustainability program is noteworthy and needs to expanded.
Clark praised the creation of the Fayetteville Economic Development Council.
"We've taken a very important first step," Clark said, and added the next mayor needs to aggressively grow Fayetteville's economic base.
"Magazine articles don't put food on anybody's table," he said, taking a stab at some of the media publicity the mayor often points to as a measure of Fayetteville's success.
"If you don't have a decent economic tax base, it goes nowhere," Clark said.
Fire Cat credited the motorcycle rumbling heard just outside as evidence of the type of festivals Fayetteville has grown and should continue. He would stage huge outdoor concerts at venues such as Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
"How about Kiss," he through out, to more than a few laughs.
Candidates said it's also time revisit the impact fees developers pay to city government, and that these costs should be graduated according to how far out the development is located. Also, bigger homes are assessed more fees than smaller homes. And waivers or other provisions need to be made for affordable housing.
"We have just got to think outside the box," Jordan said.
Sami Sutton, also a mayoral candidate, did not attend the Wednesday night forum.
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1 comment:
Where was Sami? She adds a totally different perspective when she participates.
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